Bless These Wicked Hands
by theantidamsel
Summary: When it comes to life in Charming, things are far from a fairy tale. There's not always a happy ending to the story or a white knight riding up to sweep you off your feet. April Teller knows that much. But for every bad is a good and sometimes a leather sporting man on the back of a Harley is better than Prince Charming.
1. In My Time Of Dying

First of all, anything you recognize from Sons of Anarchy does not belong to me in any way, shape, or form. It all belongs to Kurt Sutter and the brilliant people who created the show. The only thing I own is April, so please don't try to steal her. She's my baby and I've worked hard on her. Secondly, this story is told from a nonlinear narrative style so these chapters (which is loose term because most can stand alone) are not in chronological order. Most of them can be viewed as stand alone as they focus on specific events in her life. And finally, there will be spoilers featured sporadically through all of this so if you aren't up to date with the show that could be a potential problem.

* * *

_"In my time of dying, want nobody to mourn_  
_All I want for you to do is take my body home"_

November 17th, 1993

It was dark out that Wednesday morning, storm clouds overhead as thunder rumbled in the distance. April couldnt want it to be another sunny California day when they were burying her father. She wanted it to storm, wanted the whole world to be black and somber to match the way she felt. She needed it. Not that she even wanted to leave her room. After spending two days at the hospital next to her father's bed - sleeping curled up in that chair while her mother read to him and various Sons came in and out to check on them - she couldn't even think about going anywhere else. Staying in this room, curtains drawn and cut off from everyone, she could almost pretend that things hadn't change. She could pretend that her dad was off on a run with Uncle Clay or just working overtime at the garage. Not that he was actually gone. In her room, it was like a little sanctuary and she'd keep herself locked up in there for however long necessary until it stopped hurting so much. Until that ache in her chest and all those tears she'd shed for hours after they'd gotten her home were long gone. But she wasn't sure that it would ever stop. And being here on her bed, curled up under the heavy blankets with one of his old leather jackets in her arms, she just tried to force those images of him bloodied and broken in a hospital bed as far away as possible. If only she could keep them from coming back every time she closed her eyes.

"April, hon?" she heard her mother's voice coming through the closed door, a strength there that she just couldn't understand. She'd only seen her mother cry once through this all, standing strong the rest of the time. Or at least whenever April was around. Gemma had been a rock and part of her wished she could be as strong as the older woman. But at eleven, it was hard to be strong when you've been hit with a loss this hard. She buried herself deeper under the blankets as she continued trying to hide herself away. She could still hear the voice calling through to her, hear the handle rattling a bit as her mother found it was locked, hear the request for her to get ready for the service followed by the click of the heeled boots walking away. She didn't move from her spot though. She was safe there, safe from all the thoughts she didn't want to touch on and safe from all the looks of sympathy and pity that she was sure to get. She knew sooner or later the house would be filled with the family - both blood and club - offering their sympathies and making sure the family would be alright. But it really didn't seem possible. How would they ever get past this whole tragedy?

When the knocking started again, she popped her head up a bit, calling out a rough "Go away" before flopping back down. She was expecting her mother's voice, an aggravated command for her to "get her ass in gear" or something like that. Maybe a threat to kick down the door if she didn't get dressed and ready in the next few minutes. The preteen was ready for an argument through the wood if it came to it, the rebelliousness she usually kept tucked away ready to come out today. But it wasn't Gemma. Instead she heard her brother's voice, softer than usual. "Open up, A. Just let me in, okay?" At first, she stayed where she was, curled up on the bed not wanting to even think about moving. Then she heard him add on, "Either you let me in or I go find Ope and have him kick in the door." That got her moving, if for no other reason than she wasn't ready to see Opie and she knew Jax would really go get him if she didn't come out. Reluctantly, she pushed the blankets off of her, still holding onto the jacket as she walked over to the door and unlocked it. He pushed the door open before she could think otherwise and she found herself looking up at her big brother's slight smile. "You look like hell, Ape."

Glaring at him for a moment, she walked back over to her bed, curling up as she leaned back against the wall. "You were gonna have Opie come up and kick down my door?" she shot, the usual bite missing from her voice despite her usual snark towards her brother. "What? You're not tough to do the kicking yourself?" He just rolled his eyes, flopping down on the bed next to her. She started to scoot away but he threw an arm around her shoulders and she found herself nestling into his side. It had been a long time since she'd spent any time with Jax that didn't end with him telling her to get lost and leave him alone. Ever since he got his license and finally finished fixing up the old, beat up Dyna Uncle Clay had given him last year, it was like he thought he'd already patched in or something. Too cool to hang out with his little sister like they'd used to. She'd been okay with it, just found ways to bug him whenever he was home or embarrass him when he was trying to flirt with some girl in town. But now - now she was happy to find herself having a moment like they'd used to have. It was what she needed.

"You know you can't hide out up here all day, A," he mumbled to her softly, the sibling banter gone now as the somberness of the past few days settled over the siblings. A frown pulled at her lips, her face burying in the cotton of his t-shirt. She'd forgotten that he'd started wearing the same aftershave as their dad a couple years ago, the scent warm and familiar and sad to her all at once. It made her grip the jacket in her lap tighter.

"I can't do it, Jax," she mumbled softly, words muffled against his chest. Eyes squeezed shut tight, she could practically feel his gaze on her, feel him looking down at her curiously. She didn't move thought, just kept herself there as she breathed in the memories of her father. She could feel those emotions she'd tried to push away while she was hidden away up here start to surface, the catch in her throat as she felt it go dry and her eyes start to tear up. "I - I can't be strong like you and - and mom and Uncle Clay. I can't - I just can't do it, Jackie. I'm not strong. Not after Tommy and dad and everything. I'm not strong..."

April felt his hands pushing on her shoulders firmly, forcing her out of her comfort zone and catching her gaze with his own. "Hey, cut that shit out. We're Tellers, remember? Tough as nails and stubborn as hell. That's what mom always says and that's how it is. You're every bit the Teller that I am, that dad was. That means you're every bit as strong, you got that?" Brown eyes stared back at his blues for a moment, wide as she processed everything he'd said. He had a point. She'd heard that same speech from both her parents on more than one occasion. But hearing it from Jax was something different. He'd always just been her goof of a big brother, the one chasing after girls and getting into trouble for the heck of it. Now here he was, acting like a somewhat reasonable adult while she blubbered like a baby. She wasn't sure which of them would be viewed as more ridiculous to anyone they knew. But regardless of how odd it was for her big brother to be acting mature for a change, it was comforting, the first thing that had ever really been comforting since the accident. "Besides, we both know you're strong. I've been on the wrong side of that punch you call a right hook. You're no prize fighter but you pack a mean punch, squirt."

A snort of laughter slipped out before she could realize it, punching him lightly in the arm. He pretended to flinch, earning a smile from her for the moment. For the first time, things were feeling at least a little bit normal if only for a moment. They stayed there for a moment, her curling back into his side and him pulling her closer. "I still don't want to go," she murmured, fingers tracing over the old, worn out leather of the jacket. "I don't think I can sit there and listen to it all without losing it."

"So you fucking lose it. Look, Ape, no one's expecting you to be all smiles and shit. You just - we lost dad. And everyone knows that's not something you just bounce back from. But you gotta be there. We all gotta be there. And if you lose it, you lose it. Anyone has a problem with that, I'll take care of 'em. Now get up and get dressed before mom comes up here and kicks both our asses." She sat there for another moment as she watched Jax climb off the bed and head towards the door, pausing when he realized she wasn't moving yet. He let out a huff, rolling his eyes a bit. "Come on, April. You know, mom'll drag you out in just your underwear if you don't start getting ready. You got ten minutes."

The door closed behind him and she knew he was right. So despite all her desires to stay curled up for the rest of the day, she did what was asked of her. Ten minutes later, she was downstairs and dressed, wearing the nice black dress her mom had picked for her the day before. The only odd thing about her appearance was the jacket she had over it. She knew she should've left her father's jacket on her bed, left it there for when she got home that night. But she just couldn't. So she'd slipped on the heavy leather, her body drowning in the size of it. April didn't care if anyone looked at her funny or if Gemma told her to take it off. She was going to be stuck surrounded by people looking at her like she was going to break at any moment - and she wasn't entirely sure they were wrong - and she wanted to have a piece of him with her through it. And surprisingly enough, no one said anything when she came down in it. Her mom just pulled her tight into a hug, kissing the top of her head, and Jax just pulled her into his side as they headed out to the car. Opie was already in the driver's seat of Gemma's Cadillac, offering up a soft smile to the younger girl as she slid into the backseat followed by her mother while Jax joined him in the front seat. There was already a sea of motorcycles waiting there to escort them through Charming to the cemetery.

It took everything she had but she made it through most of the ceremony, listening to the priest's words as he spoke of her father being in a better place. Her hands clung tightly to the leather of his jacket, praying that she'd make it through this with half the strength that her mother had. Her eyes stayed forward, gaze focused on the dark finish of the coffin as she felt Jax's arm around her again. Her mother was on her other side, holding the American flag that had been given to her by the honor guard there because of John's time in Vietnam. She couldn't bring herself to look at Gemma but she knew that her expression was still that of steel. It always would be. That was just who her mother was. And as the three-volley salute took place up the hill a ways, April felt herself flinching at the crack of each gunshot. Each sound echoed in her ears as the reality of the day sank in for her more completely. Her father was dead and now, as the casket was lowered into the grave, there was no denying it.

* * *

Reviews and constructive criticism are loved and appreciated.


	2. Let It Bleed

Thank you to everyone who left reviews and added the story to their favorites. I definitely wasn't expecting that so soon. Once again, I don't own anything Sons of Anarchy related or otherwise, except for April.

* * *

_"Take my arm, take my leg, oh baby don't you take my head_  
_Yeah, we all need someone we can bleed on_  
_Yeah, and if you want it, baby, well you can bleed on me"_

February 4th, 2000

April Teller was no fool. She knew when she walked into the Teller Morrow Automotive that afternoon, she'd be in for a hell of an interrogation from god knows how many people. It wasn't every day the teenager showed up with a black eye and a busted lip and she knew better than to think the men she'd regarded as family for years would let the injuries go unnoticed. But that didn't mean she couldn't try. If only she'd paid attention that one time Luann had tried to explain to her the proper way to cover up a bruise with some make-up. If only she actually owned some make-up. Unfortunately, she didn't and her attention span had been limited the day that she'd been given that lesson. Still, she hoped with the hood of her sweatshirt up and the fringe of her bangs hanging low no one would notice the obvious signs of a fight she was sporting. That and she figured if she just hung out in the clubhouse till most of the guys were finished for the day they'd start drinking and flirting with crow eaters before paying any real attention to her. Unfortunately, she had no such luck. She barely flopped down on one of the couches with her history text before Tig strolled in, pausing at the sight of the teen looking like she wanted to hide from the world. Cigarette between his lips, he dropped next to her, long legs stretching over the couch as his head settled on her textbook. "Sup with you, short stack?"

Her eyes rolled as she tried to shove him away, though it did nothing to deter him. Tig had always been the one around the garage to drive her bonkers in the best way. Usually he was a welcome distraction from whatever she should've been doing. But today, he was the last person that she wanted to see. Because she knew what his temper was like. She'd never had it directed at her, thank god, but she'd seen what he'd do when he was angry enough. It was always bloody and messy and bad for whoever'd crossed him. Rarely did anyone come out of a fight with the sergeant at arms without having lost a decent amount of blood. And the last thing she needed today was for him go find the asshole from school and beat him to a pulp. "Piss off, Tigger," she grumbled, squirming to get out from under him. "I've got shit to do, you big lug."

The annoyance in her voice only earned laughter from him, though it tapered off quickly as he pushed himself up. She knew what put a stop to his amusement and it made her want to disappear. She turned her head away, pretending to find something interesting on the wall next to her. But Tig was never one to be ignored, no matter what his mood was like. And she flinched ever so slightly as she felt his hand grabbing her face for a better look. She could feel the callouses on his hands as he turned her to look at him, the anger evident in his eyes. "Who did this, kid?" he asked, the teasing gone from his voice. She pulled back, trying to get out of his grip but he just held tighter fingers digging into her jaw a bit. "Who the fuck hurt you, April?"

"Well, right now it's you," she all but growled at him, finally breaking out of his grasp as she pushed him away. Her schoolbooks were long forgotten as she jumped off the couch in frustration. She knew his inquiries were far from over but that didn't stop her from trying to put a decent amount of distance between the two of them. The sound of her boots were heavy against the clubhouse floor as she made her way over to the bar. She was grateful it was still too early for most of the crow eaters to be hanging around as she started searching for a drink Gemma wouldn't smack her for having. She could practically feel Tig watching her every move, knowing that he was probably sporting that same manic glint in his eyes that she'd seen plenty of times when provoked. "Don't you have work to do or something?" she grumbled, cracking open the soda can. He didn't say anything as she stood there, eventually glancing back at him curiously. It sent a chill down her spine and she couldn't help but wonder if that was the expression that the men he dealt with, the ones he took care of for the sake of the club saw before he did whatever it was he did to them. If so, he shouldn't have any problems with intimidation. Not that she suspected he would.

"Either you tell me what happened or I go find Clay and Gemma and you can explain to them why you look like you went a couple rounds after school," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument on her part. She glared at him, climbing up to sit on the bar top as he came closer. With a look of annoyance, she sat still as he pushed back the hood of her sweatshirt and got a better look at her. "Shit, kid, who'd you get into it with to get these?" His hands were grabbing at her face again, gentler this time as he checked the bruises and cuts. "Some dumbass jock messin' with you? Cuz I know that's not from a cat fight in the girls locker room."

At first, she stayed quiet, expression apathetic save for the times his hand would bump a bruise. But there was only so long that she could sit there under Tig's gaze without saying anything. "Carter Lewis was talking shit about mom," she mumbled, gaze dropping down to the floor. "Said how she's just some biker slut, how she's just some glorified crow eater. So I decked him. He doesn't have any issues with hitting a girl back though."

She watched carefully as his fists clenched and unclenched a few times, anger in his eyes. She knew where he stood when it came to women getting smacked around and for a moment she was worried she'd be responsible for the Charming High quarterback getting left bloody in a ditch for no one to ever find. And while she was sure she'd never miss someone like Carter Lewis, she was pretty sure living with that guilt wouldn't sit well with her. Maybe Tig sensed that or maybe he just figured some high school punk wasn't worth his trouble at the time. Instead he focused on April, commenting in lighter tone than she'd expected, "You even know how to throw a punch, short sack?"

That was enough to pull the teen from her funk, glaring at him for different reasons now. "Yes, I know how to throw a punch," she snipped, a little defensive of her fighting skills. She knew she wouldn't win any fights against most of the Sons but when it came to pretty much anyone else in Charming she knew how to handle herself. Tig, however, didn't seem to agree with her on the matter as he just rolled his eyes and let out skeptical laugh. Eyes narrowed, she shoved at his chest a bit and slid down from the bar top, the bruises and cuts forgotten as she focused on her frustration towards the older man. "Just ask Jax or Ope. They've seen just how good I can throw a punch."

All that earned her was another laugh from Tig, louder this time as she saw the spark in his eyes as something other than rage. "How 'bout throwing a punch at a real man, not one of those little shits? C'mon, short stack. Uncle Tig's gonna show you how it's done." Before she could say a word of protest, the sergeant at arms was leading her out back to the boxing ring they had set up behind the clubhouse. A couple prospects were lingering around, screwing around after their shift until Tig was sending them away with a sharp look and a jerk of his head. That was something April'd be more interested in learning than the proper way to punch. How to get rid of people with just a look. Between her mom and Tig she was sure she'd figure it out eventually. But nevertheless, she followed him into the boxing ring, shrugging off her sweatshirt as the instruction began.

For the next half hour, April stood in the middle of the boxing ring with the older man, listening as she got the run down on boxing for dummies from him. Everything from how to stand when throwing a punch to which parts of the body were the easiest to damage to how to fight dirty if you needed to. And for once, she was actually paying attention. Normally when Tig tried to teach her something - or any of the Sons really - she tended to just tune out, nod appreciatively and then bail when they got distracted. But this - this seemed like it could actually come in handy in the future. And considering that her brother was too busy these days earning his way through the ranks of SAMCRO to help her out with this kind of stuff, it might as well be Tig. If anyone knew how to handle themselves in a fight, it was him. And by the time he was finished with her she wasn't doing half bad herself. She was sure that she'd never actually be able to take him in a fight but that was okay. Fighting Tig for real was something on her list of things that would probably get her killed. But for now, she'd settle for getting in a few punches and going up against one of the scrawnier prospects Tig had grabbed to go a few rounds with her in the ring.

It was quite the sight to see when Gemma stepped out of her office, eyebrow quirked at the sight of her daughter going toe to toe with the prospect while Tig and a handful of other guys watched. She wasn't sure what was more surprising - April getting in a few strong punches and managing to dodge most of the prospect's or that the prospect actually seemed to be trying as hard as the girl was. Part of her was impressed. She knew her baby girl was tougher than most teens but she'd never seen the girl like this. Part of her wanted to smack her lifelong friend if the girl wound up with any injuries. Or more than she already had it seemed. The sound of her heels echoed across the ground as she joined the men, stopping next to Tig. "Wanna explain to me where my girl got those bruises on her face, Trager?" Gemma asked, tone light with the slightest warning to it.

"Kid got into it with some jackass at school. Apparently he got a few punches in," he answered as if it was the most normal thing in the world. He didn't even have to look over at Gemma to feel the look of surprise on her face or to know it would be replaced with blind rage in the blink of an eye. "Short stack's okay. She claims she got a few good hits in too but I figured she could use with a little training for the next time the fucker tried to mess with her. She's got a good right hook, been pretty fun to watch her wail on the prospect."

"You got the kid's name? Think I wanna visit his mother, give her a lesson in good parenting," Gemma quipped, wincing a bit as she watched the prospect finally get a hit in and seeing April double over for a moment. "C'mon, baby! Hit him where it hurts!"

April paused, the surprise of hearing her mother's voice encouraging her catching her by surprise. She couldn't help but offer up that bright Teller smile, one of the few features she and her brother shared, before turning back to the prospect and showing off everything she'd learned over the last hour. Part of her felt a little bad for wailing on the prospect with all the little tricks that Tig had been teaching her but another part of her knew that him doing this with her could earn him a few extra points with Gemma. And earning points with Gemma could make everything go a little smoother in the long run. She just hoped he understood that as much as she did. And despite the soreness in her arms and the taste of fresh blood on her lip, she felt twice as strong as she had when she'd been in the high school parking lot just a few hours before. Sometimes a little blood wasn't so bad.

* * *

Reviews and constructive criticism fuel my motivation.


	3. Born Under A Bad Sign

Once again, big thanks to all of you reading this and especially to those of you leaving reviews. It's greatly appreciated. Hopefully I can keep up this pace of at least one update a day for all of you. Hope you guys enjoy it!

* * *

_"Born under a bad sign.  
__I've been down since I began to crawl.  
__If it wasn't for bad luck,  
__I wouldn't have no luck at all."_

September 3rd, 2008

Half stretched out under a soccer mom's sedan was how April had been spending most of her days lately. Her headphones were in, the sound of classic rock filling her ears at a decibel her mother had told her would leave her deaf on more than one occasion. She didn't mind the risk as long as it meant drowning out all the other noises of the garage. These days having Led Zeppelin blaring up at an eleven was more peaceful than the sounds of all the other mechanics shooting the shit and chattering about pussy and club business, hearing loss be damned. She'd been the only female mechanic at TM for the last five years - the only one ever really. And while she was used to it after years of growing up around the club and being able to count her girl friends on one hand, that didn't mean she didn't get sick of listening to their shit all day every day. And today was no different. It seemed the garage was all a chatter today, the guys talking about the explosion they and half of Charming had seen last night on the outskirts of town. Some in hushed whispers about what all was going down in the MC while others, the few not patched in, rambling about what it might've been. And all she wanted was to tell them all to shut the hell up. But instead she just hit repeat on "Immigrant Song" and kept on working.

Work was more like a distraction these days, her escape from the job of babysitting her junkie ex sister-in-law. If she spent one more night keeping an eye on Wendy because Jax couldn't be bothered to check in and Gemma was too quick to hit when it came to the woman carrying her grandson. That some how had wound April up with what she'd dubbed Wendy Watch. A lot of wasted time spent following her around town when she wasn't working and making sure the woman didn't do something stupid before the baby was born. If it weren't for the fact that all she'd be doing with her time otherwise was catching overtime at the shop or grabbing a few beers with the guys, she'd have given up the task weeks ago. But her social life was far from buzzing and if it meant she got to be the aunt to a healthy baby boy, she'd put up with it for another month or two.

She was lost in a mix of work and music when she felt someone yanking on her boot. If it wasn't for the firm grip on her ankle she would've given a hard kick to the nuts of whoever was bugging her. But instead she was dragged out from under the car faster than she could react, the sight of Gemma staring down at her with a frazzled look. Frazzled wasn't something she liked to see on her mother's face, that was for sure. Pulling her headphones out, she pushed herself up off concrete floor. "You're gonna be deaf before you hit thirty you keep that up," she heard in place of a greeting, not that she was surprised. All she did was roll her eyes, the silent communication that she'd heard and disregarded the "words of wisdom" handed to her. And luckily it seemed like a lecture wasn't the first thing on Gemma's to do list for the day. "The junkie bitch OD'd. She's at St. Thomas's. Grab your shit, we gotta go."

The second the words left Gemma's mouth she was all but running out of the garage after her. She could see her brother already peeling away on his bike, Chibs and Bobby right behind him. Ignoring the curious looks from the new prospect and a few of the other mechanics, she climbed into the passenger seat of the Caddy, her mother peeling out of the parking lot after the boys. Her mind was racing, trying to figure out where the hell the woman could've gotten drugs with the youngest Teller on her ass the way she'd been. She'd followed that piece of shit car around for weeks when she was off the clock, making sure she wasn't hanging out at the dive bars and keeping an eye on who she went to hang out with. She'd been clean enough to April's surprise. No late nights at the Hairy Dog and no long visits with any of her exes. For a moment, she'd thought Wendy had finally got her shit together. Clearly, she'd been wrong.

"Stop that," Gemma instructed, breaking the silence in the car. April found herself glancing over at her mother curiously, not sure what she was referring to. "I can see those gears turning in your head. This shit is not your fault. The dumb bitch would've done anything and anyone for a quick fix. She would've found a way to get it regardless of you watching like a sniper. So just put the brakes on that guilt trip you're getting ready for and just deal with the shit we've got now. Got it?"

"Yes ma'am," April quipped, a hand reaching up to brush back some of her messy hair. The rest of the car ride was filled with anxious silence that seemed to drag on and on. She'd forgotten just how painfully long these kinds of car rides could be. It didn't matter that it was really only about ten minutes from TM to the hospital, didn't matter that they'd run two red lights already, it was the second longest drive of her life. The only one that had seemed longer was when she was eleven and John had been in his accident. She just prayed this day had a different outcome. They pulled into the parking lot just a minute behind the guys, April out of the car before it was even completely stopped and Gemma hot on her heels. As the group of them made their way through the hospital, she was sure they looked like a crazed bunch. The guys all in denim and leather, their cuts menacing to anyone outside the life. Gemma with her own style - the biker queen that balanced feminine and strong like nobody's business complete with her "ass kicking boots". And then there was April, jeans and tank top both smudged and stained from spending too many hours under a car while her hair hung half in a ponytail and half a mess around her face. Yeah, they looked like a bunch of crazies. And if there weren't some answers given about what all was going on, they very well could live up to that reputation.

Her attention was all over the place as the made their way to Wendy's room, glancing around at passing nurses and doctors while listening to Gemma give them the details about everything going on. She couldn't help but think that the woman had probably figured out April was keeping an eye on her and figured when to avoid the youngest Teller catching her out getting crank. She wanted to throttle Wendy for all this bullshit, wanted to wring her neck for it all. And if anything was wrong with that nephew of hers, she just might do it. She felt a heavy hand on her shoulder, pulling her from all her thoughts as she glanced up. Chibs gave her a soft look, one that she knew was generally reserved for her and her brother when shit was going to hell in a hand basket. The Scot had always had a soft spot for the Teller kids. "Everythin's gonna be jus' fine, love," he mumbled to her, offering a glimpse of comfort. She just hoped that he was right.

**SAMCRO**

By ten o'clock that night, April hadn't left the hospital, stretched out on a couple of chairs in the waiting room as she dozed in and out. People had come and gone most of the day, checking up on her, checking up on the baby. When the doctor had said that they'd done an emergency c-section and explained the damage from the drugs and the family flaw, she was torn. She knew she should be grateful that Abel was even alive after the shit Wendy had done but her experience with Teller men had never been good. They all seemed to die before their time and as much as she hated to think it, nothing was certain for the baby yet. So she'd stayed, wanting someone to be here for the boy while the rest of her family tried to keep everything together. For a while, she'd been hovering around, trying to keep as close of an eye on the kid as possible. But eventually, Tara had told her there wasn't anything she could do right now except hope for the best. So she'd settled for making herself comfortable in the waiting room.

Seeing Tara had been a blast from the past, that was for sure. She'd known about her brother's old flame coming back to Charming but she hadn't put too much thought into it. The last time she'd seen the woman was when she was fifteen and quite frankly after watching how heartbroken her big brother was over it all, she didn't care too much for the young doctor. If it had been any other circumstances that she'd seen her again for the first time, she might've put those old fighting lessons from Tig to good use and give her a piece of her mind. But for now, she wanted Tara to focus on helping her nephew. She'd worry about the effects the woman still had on her brother some other day.

"The hell are you still doing here?"

April cracked an eye open at the sound of her brother's voice, looking up at him curiously as he looked down in an odd mix of emotions. "Well, hello to you too, Jackson," she grumbled, pushing herself up off the chairs as he plopped himself down. Her head resumed it's place, his leg now between her and the seat as she made herself comfortable once more. "Where you been runnin' around to all day?"

"Taking care of shit, Ape," was the only answer she got. She could hear the trouble in his voice, see it in his eyes. She knew he was worrying about it all, more than anyone else and she knew it wouldn't stop till that baby was safely home with him. She didn't blame him; if it were her child, she knew she'd be the same. But for now that just meant she'd be worrying about him while he worried about Abel. He caught a glimpse of her curiosity and knew that she'd start pestering if he didn't start giving her more information than that. April had never been one to sit in the dark. "Went and found Darby's guys, the ones who sold her the crank. Got that outta my system. Had to talk to Ope about some club business. Just saw Wendy." He trailed off as she saw his eyes darken with anger.

"I haven't risked going by her room," she mumbled, fingers playing with the heavy rings on his hand. "Pretty sure I'd start wailing on her the second I stepped in the room. Last thing we need is Hale coming to lock me in a cell for assault." There was a casualty to her tone as she tried to lighten the mood even though they both knew she was far from joking on the matter. The most he could offer was the faintest quirk of a smile that faded as quickly as it appeared. Both siblings fell quiet for a few minutes, the only sound coming from the people moving about outside the waiting room. She knew both of their minds were going over the worst case scenarios for everything going on. And she knew they couldn't both start going to those dark places at the same time. "Hey," she mumbled quietly, giving his hand a squeeze as she caught his gaze once more. "Everything's gonna be okay. He's a Teller. Tough as nails and stubborn as hell, remember?"

"Yeah, yeah he is." She knew her words were falling on deaf ears, knew that he wasn't going to believe any of it until that baby was safe at home. But she'd be damned if she sat by and just let her brother accept defeat before the fight was over. Not if she had any say in it. "Listen I got some more shit to take care of around the house, you want a ride home?"

April pulled herself up, finally sitting properly in the chair as her legs folded under her. Shaking her head a bit, she answered, "Nah, I think I'm gonna stick around longer. Someone's gotta hold down the fort for the little guy. You go do what you gotta do."

Standing up, Jax bent just long enough to press a kiss to the top of her head, messing her hair a bit like they were still kids. "Try to stay outta trouble, yeah? Call the prepay if you need me. Try not to spend the whole night here. You're a pain in the ass when you don't get enough sleep." She swatted his hand away, offering up a small smile as he headed out of the room. And just like that she was alone again, left with her thoughts and her worries about everything going on. Climbing off the chair, she found herself heading back to the NICU, checking in on the little boy in the incubator. She watched as he slept, machines beeping around him while a nurse checked him over once more. And for the first time that she could remember, she prayed her family would have some luck in this damn place.

* * *

As always, reviews and constructive criticism are loved and appreciated.


	4. White Wedding

So this is a little on the shorter side and I'm not sure I'm really satisfied with how this one came out but here it is nonetheless. Thanks to all of you who are still reading this and adding it to your favorites. It's definitely appreciated.

* * *

_"It's a nice day to start again._  
_It's a nice day for a white wedding."_

August 14th, 1994

April hated wearing dresses. To her, it was just something stupid that she was forced into wearing whenever there was something fancy going on. Usually, she could avoid it. Pout around and refuse until Gemma threw her hands up in annoyance and let the girl be. She'd known for years that her daughter would never be the feminine type to run around with make-up and heels and all the fancy shit most girls liked. April was too much of a tomboy, had spent too much time following her brother around and listening to her father and his friends talk about their motorcycles and the club. She'd pretty much been born to be a leather wearing, grease monkey. It was in her blood. So putting her in a dress to could be a fit sometimes. But today was one of those fancy occasions and she was stuck in some ugly blue dress while she had to watch her mom get remarried. It was a drag but if it made her mom happy, she'd suffer for a day. She just wished that they'd forced Jax to put on a tie or something.

The wedding hadn't been long, thankfully, and the ceremony wasn't anything too formal. April had been to a couple weddings for guys her parents were friends with over the years and for the most part they were all like this. The only difference with this one was that she was stuck with a new dad after this one. Clay wasn't bad, as far as guys her mom could've married. She'd known him all her life, grown up with him coming to family dinners and him trying to teach her all the stuff that her dad would say she was too young to know. But that still didn't mean she was ready to have some new guy in her house, taking her dad's spot. That was something she hadn't quite adjusted to just yet. Probably wouldn't for a while. But as long her mom was happy again, smiling more than she had since the funeral, she couldn't complain too much. At least not at home.

The short ceremony had been at the local park, fifty or so bikers and their old ladies from different charters showing up to see the mother charter's president tie the knot. Afterwords everyone had headed back to the clubhouse, the bar decorated thanks to the Teller kids and a couple prospects. And as soon as they were back, music started playing, booze started flowing, and it was just like any other night with the Sons of Anarchy. It wasn't long before April had slipped away from all the chaos and noise to the dorms. She found herself slipping into Tig's room, knowing he had a tendency to leave things unlocked and was more than preoccupied with the bar and some blonde who'd come from Tacoma. She'd be fine back there for at least half an hour. Although fine was a relative term when she was in a room filled with Tigger's stuff. Thankfully, it seemed like somebody had cleaned things up a bit. She had no idea who would do that but it was a far cry from the mess she was used to seeing whenever he was involved. Turning on the small TV on the dresser, April settled on the floor, back against the foot of his bed while she watched reruns of _M*A*S*H_. And for a while, she could drown out the noise of the party and her new stepdad.

Three episodes later, she heard the door open, her looking up nervously as Tig started in with the blonde on his arm. He noticed her quick but it took the girl a moment, still playing with his hair and hanging on his arm. For a minute, she felt a little guilty for using his room for her little hideout, knowing she could've gone to someone else's who wouldn't be wanting to use the room. But he didn't tell her to get lost or even look angry for a minute. All he did was shake the girl off his arm and mumble something about finding her later. It took a little shove but soon she was gone and he was joining April on the floor. "I know this ain't your kinda shit, kid. But my room really the place you wanna be hanging out?"

"It was unlocked, knew you had a TV," she mumbled, eyes down on her lap. Her hands were fiddling with the hem of the dress, wishing she was in her jeans and t-shirt instead. She focused her attention back on the television, hearing the sound of his lighter as the smell of cigarette smoke filled the room.

"Bullshit," he mumbled around the cigarette between his lips. April glanced up, watching him blow out some smoke. Part of her wondered if it was strange for her to be so used to this kind of stuff. She was pretty sure none of her classmates spent their free time with bikers like Tig or Clay, around the smoking, drinking, and everything else that the guys got up to. But for her it was just another normal day with Sam Crow. "You coulda gone to that empty one at the end of the hall, old prospect moved out couple weeks ago. Coulda gone to that room Ope's been using, too."

Her head shook for a moment, replying, "Old prospect's room still smells gross. Like old puke and stuff. And Opie actually knows how to lock his door unlike you, dummy." That earned her a little smack on the head, the same playful way that Jax would when they were fighting about something stupid. She swatted his hand away but let a small laugh out nonetheless.

They both were quiet for a moment, her focusing on the television while he took another drag off the cigarette. His arm slung around the girl's shoulders after a bit, his voice a bit more serious as he asked, "What's on your mind, short stack? Talk to Uncle Tigger."

The snort of laughter that came out couldn't be stopped. It was moments like this that made her remember why Tig had always been her favorite. You could never tell what was going to come out of his mouth next. She was pretty sure every curse she knew she'd learned from him first, not to mention several of the more colorful phrases she'd heard him slip on more than one occasion around here. Anytime she'd been left alone with him for more than five minutes as a kid, he'd be trying to teach her something that Gemma definitely wouldn't approve of. And he'd always just given the queen that classic Trager grin and told her he was just doing his job as "Uncle Tigger". Without thinking, she found herself mumbling, "Why couldn't you have just married mom?"

He was coughing and sputtering two seconds after the words left her mouth, choking on the smoke of his cigarette as the girl caught him by complete surprise. There were few people who could surprise him but the little girl looking up at him with the big brown eyes had always been good at doing just that. He took a moment, trying to figure out if she was yanking his chain or not. Another drag and he was stubbing out the cigarette in the old beer can on the floor next to him. "What the hell you asking shit like that, Ape?"

Suddenly the girl was wishing she hadn't come to his room in the first place. Stomaching the stench of the old prospect's room or even ducking into her mom's mess of an office seemed better than the look she was getting from him now. "I dunno," she replied softly, pulling her knees up to her chest. "Just...like you better than Clay is all. I mean, you've known mom just as long, you're always around and stuff, plus you're more fun than he is."

He was silent for a moment before a loud laugh slipped out, his whole chest shaking as his head leaned back against the end of his bed. "Aw shit, short stack," he mumbled as his laughter died after a few minutes. "I'm not stepdad material, kid. 'Sides, me and your mom - we're just friends. She'd rip my balls off after a week of tryin' to put up with me. And you'd get real sick of me real quick if I was your mom's old man. And Clay ain't that bad."

"I've seen him smile like maybe twelve times in my whole life," she argued, giving him that pointed look that only a Teller woman could. He knew she'd learned it from Gemma; the queen had used it on him plenty of times in the past. "He likes Jax just fine but me? I dunno, Tig..."

"Just give him time. He'll love ya as much as possible in no time. Well, as much as it's possible to love an annoying little punk like you." She swatted at him again, a small smile starting to pull at her lips again. "Just give him a little time and it'll be good, y'know. But don't spend that time hiding out in my room. Don't need you seeing the evidence of my debauchery."

"Start locking your door and I'll start staying out," she replied, offering up a little smirk to him. That earned her another quick smack before he pulled himself up off the floor. Grabbing her hand, he hauled her up, turning off the TV as he pushed her towards the door. "I really got go back out there? It's boring watching a bunch of old guys get drunk and hit on girls."

Tig just gave her another little push as they headed out of his room, closing the door behind them. "You know what, short stack. Don't really care if you go hang out with the old drunks, go break into Ope's room, or hightail it back your house. Your choice. But my room's off limits for the night. So let's go get you something to do and find me that blonde. Got some business to finish."

"You're gross," was her simple reply, falling in step next to him as she wrinkled her nose a bit.

"Yeah but I'm your favorite," he shot back, messing with her hair before giving her a little shove. With one last grin towards the girl, the pair parted ways, her in search of her big brother and his friend while he tried to track down the blonde from earlier.

* * *

Reviews and comments are always awesome.


	5. Sweet Child O' Mine

Because creativity seemed to strike today, here's another chapter for all of you lovely people reading. Thank you so so much for all the kind words so far, it's greatly appreciated. Also, if anyone has any questions about the story or April or what might be coming next, please feel free to message me. I'm all for answering questions. Hope you guys enjoy this next bit. Lots of Tig and Chibs in this one.

* * *

_"She's got a smile that it seems to me  
Reminds me of childhood memories  
Where everything was as fresh as the bright blue sky"_

July 15th, 1998

"Why the hell did I agree to come along for this?" April grumbled, grateful that the van had finally come to a stop. For the past hour she'd been stuck riding shotgun in the TM van with Tig. Of all the days for Gemma to dump her off with Tig to run some errand in Oakland, she couldn't understand why it had to be today. It was her birthday for Christ's sake. Turning sixteen was something she'd been looking forward to for months. Finally being able to go wherever without having to bum rides from Jax or Opie, finally being able to do whatever the hell she wanted without having to ask for someone to help her get where she wanted. She hadn't been expecting anything fancy, didn't care about big parties or that "Sweet Sixteen" crap. Okay, maybe she'd expected a little something. Gemma was big on this kind of shit most of the time so it wouldn't be shocking. At least a little something at the clubhouse. But nothing, just a brief "Happy birthday, baby girl" before she was dumped with Tig for a day of driving. So she'd been pouting for most of the day, not in the mood for the wild tales of Tig Trager. "I mean, can't you pick up this guy by yourself? Or does someone need to babysit you so you don't scare off the new guy?"

Tig climbed out of the driver's side once the van was parked, giving the girl a little smack as he fell in step with her. "Shut up, short stack," he grumbled, hands fumbling in his pocket for the pack of cigarettes. He stopped long enough to light one, only to find the teen stealing the pack from his hands. "Hey, you know your ma's gonna break her heel off in my ass if I let you smoke. And it was only fun the first time, don't wanna feel that again."

Her nose wrinkled at the comment, ignoring him as she lit up her own and took a drag. "Okay, one - that's nasty. I don't wanna know the kinky stuff that goes through your head. And two - I've been bumming smokes off Jax for a year now. It's not like it's that big of a secret." She did her best to ignore the look of annoyance she was getting from him. So she smoked, so what? She knew Gemma had done the same at her age and so did Jax. Hell, so did every other guy she knew at the club. But then again, the family had always had a habit of living by the old saying of _do as I say not as I do_ when it came to the Teller girl. "You just let me worry about my mom. Besides, how pissed can she get at me on my birthday?"

He rolled his eyes at her behind his sunglasses, shaking his head a bit as he took the pack away and stuffed it back in his pocket. The two of them settled on a bench outside the airport, killing time while they waited. It was another fifteen or twenty minutes before the flight got in and neither of them were looking to sit around inside a busy airport. April found herself glancing back over at Tig, finding the sight of him out of his cut a little amusing. He never seemed that comfortable to her when he had it off. But places like this were generally a no reaper zone, not wanting to spook too many people with the outlaw look. But that didn't change the fact that Tig looked like a crazy bastard regardless of what you put him in.

"So what's the deal with this guy? Jax said he's transfering over from SAMBEL." April took another drag, ignoring the looks she got from a few passing older women. She knew next to nothing about the newest member. It had been a while since they'd had any transfers. Plenty of prospects who were put through hell by the guys but transfers were few and far between. It left her curious. Plus SAMBEL meant something a bit more exciting than just another California boy.

"What you so interested for?" Tig shot back, eyes looking at her narrowly behind his shades. A glare was the only answer the teenager gave him. It wasn't a secret to anyone that April had been asking more questions about things for Sam Crow. Tig just wasn't fond of being the one who wound up answering them. Half the time she still seemed like the little kid who would yell "Uncle Tigger" any time she saw him. He blew some smoke, sitting there for a moment before he spoke up again. "Name's Chibs or something like that. Was with SAMBEL for a long time, has connections that can help us doing business with the Irish. That's all you gotta know, kid."

It was clear the discussion was over as Tig stomped out his cigarette, standing up and motioning for her to follow him as he headed in. April quickly followed suit, jumping off the bench to keep up with the taller man. The airport wasn't all that busy but she kept close to Tig nonetheless. Last thing she needed was to lose track of the man and wind up wandering around the place on her own. Stopping near the baggage claim, she found herself looking around curiously, trying to figure out if she could spot the guy without help. It wasn't all that hard when she saw the group coming off the plane. Amongst the typical families and locals returning home from vacation was a tall man dressed in black with heavy boots. To her it was almost like a uniform to see any Son in and apparently the recognition went both ways. With a large duffle in one hand, he made his way to the two of them without hesitation. The first thing she found herself noticing about him were the dimples that appeared as he offered her an almost sly grin. "If yer the 'welcome teh Charmin' girl, think I might be enjoyin' myself 'ere." Her face flushed a bit at his comment, a small smile appearing for a moment before she noticed Tig tensing up.

"Watch yourself, Irish. Kid's only sixteen." There was a warning tone to his voice as his arm grabbed at April and started pushing her towards the doors. She chanced a glance back at the new man, seeing the surprise in his eyes as he offered up a more apologetic smile this time - one that she was quick to return. That was when she noticed the scars, stretching along his cheeks and probably presenting a more menacing appearance to most. But for her, the dimples had ruined any fear she might've had for the scars.

"I'm Scottish, actually," Chibs replied as he fell in step behind the pair, eyes narrowing just a bit. Nothing like some good old thick tension to prepare them for the ride back to Charming.

Turning back to the man still holding her arm, she was quick to lighten the mood as she asked, "So you gonna let me drive, Tig? Because if I'm gonna be stuck in that stupid van with you for another hour, I feel like I deserve to get some time behind the wheel. I mean, I'll have my license by the end of the week."

**SAMCRO**

The last thing that April had been expecting when they got to the clubhouse was the party that was waiting inside. She'd expected to be left at the clubhouse to shoot pool on her own until the men finished whatever they had to discuss in church with the new guy in town, eventually dragging Jax or Opie over to help entertain her. Instead, she came in to find her entire family - blood and Sons alike - all waiting for her. Before she could say a single word, she found herself being thrown over her big brother's shoulder and carted off to the center of the room for the festivities. Bobby brought out a big cake complete with the words "Happy 16th Birthday, Short Stack!" written in bright blue icing. Something told her than Tig had a say in that part of the decorating. And after eating some cake and opening a few little presents from people, the real surprise was brought out. Sitting in one of the stalls in the garage was a '69 Mustang Convertible with a big blue bow on the hood. It was beat up, looking like an old clunker that needed plenty of work but to her that didn't matter. She'd been learning more about cars lately and she knew that fixing up your own car - or bike as it was with most of the guys - was just as important as actually getting it.

Two hours later, after plenty of cake and several games of pool against anyone who'd stop by long enough, she found herself back out in the garage in the driver's seat of her car. _Her_ car. She was still buzzing with excitement over that. She hadn't been expecting this as a birthday present, that was for sure. She knew that it was probably they got cheap if they even had to pay anything for it at all but that wasn't the point. It was a car that would be up and running soon enough and it was all hers. She was still fiddling with everything when she heard the back door open, surprised to see the new guy coming into the garage. With a beer in hand, he walked over to the old car, leaning against the side of it. "Seems like yeh've had a good day, lass."

"Definitely one of the better birthdays," she replied, leaning back against the seat as her fingers danced over the steering wheel. "Uh, sorry you got stuck at a birthday party your first day here."

Chibs just waved her off, taking a drink of his beer. "Don't worry 'bout it, love. Coulda been a worse welcome. 'Sides, there was cake. Can't complain to much." She watched him curiously as he moved around, taking a closer look at the car. In all the excitement of the party her curiosity about him had faded for a bit but now it was back full force. She must've been more obvious with her looks than she'd intended to be as he turned his attention back to her, eyebrow quirked as he asked, "Wha's on yer mind, lass?"

She paused, wide eyes and surprised expression as he called her out on her staring and she found herself slinking down in her seat a little more. That seemed to bring a smile to his face again and she couldn't help but notice those dimples again. _What the hell is wrong with you_, she thought to herself as she glanced back down at the dash of the car. "Just wondering why you transferred," she replied simply, shrugging her shoulders a bit. "I mean, Charming's a long way from Belfast."

Something dark flashed behind his eyes that left her all the more curious. "Wasn't much of a choice, lass," he mumbled, taking a longer drink from his beer. She waited for him to say more on the subject, to give her something more than just the vague words. But he didn't and she knew she had no right to push. Chances are it was club business and the one thing her mother had taught her when it came to dealing with club business was that if she wasn't told about it, she shouldn't be asking too much about it.

"Hey, Irish!" they both heard Tig shouting across the garage, putting an end to any attempts at conversation. The sergeant at arms was standing in the doorway, bottle of Jack in hand and an annoyed look on his face. "Get in here, got business to take care of."

Chibs waved him off, mumbling something about being there in a minute. The other man walked away, the door closing with a little slam as he headed back to the party. "Think he's gonna ever stop wit' the Irish shit?" he asked with a slight look of frustration.

April couldn't help but laugh, shaking her head a bit. "Not a chance. Tig finds something he likes, he tends to stick with it. It's why I've been called 'short stack' for the last sixteen years."

That brought one last smile to his face as he finished off his beer, tossing the empty bottle in a nearby trash bin. With a small wave, he made his way across the garage, her eyes following him curiously. He stopped at the door and glanced back her way for a moment as he caught her staring, her face flushing red with embarrassment. "Happy birthday, lass," he called back before disappearing back into the clubhouse. _Definitely one of the best birthdays in a long time._

* * *

Reviews, comments, and constructive criticism are all loved and greatly appreciated!


	6. Prison Bound

Okay, first things first - I am so sorry for this delay in updates. Writer's block has been kicking my ass lately and nothing really seemed to be coming to me. But I'm trying to get things back on track. So here's an update finally. I'm not totally thrilled with it but I hope you all like it. Thanks for all the support so far and for continuing to read this.

* * *

_"Well, I'm goin' to a place where the tough guys go_  
_And come out even tougher_  
_A place where a man don't show his feelings_  
_A place where a man don't cry"_

October 9th, 2004

Despite all the men she'd known who'd done time, April had never actually been inside before, never visited any of them. Part of it was the distance Gemma tried to keep between her and the seedy aftermath that came with club business, keep her from seeing the unfortunate risk that came along with being a Son. And part of it was the simple fact that the place scared her. As much as she liked to play up the same tough attitude she'd been watching her mother display for years, there were some things she just hadn't figured out yet. But she knew that if there was any person who could her there visiting, it was Opie. Sure, he was technically her brother's best friend and for several years he and Jax had brushed her off when they'd gone through the whole "too cool to hang out with the little sister" phase but that didn't change the fact that he was one of the most important people to her. And she knew that Donna had been too busy trying to keep things together for the kids to make many trips to Chino. Jax had been the one coming mostly, him and Piney trying to make sure that Ope got a visitor at least once a month to make sure he was still holding up. But this time she wanted to be the one to make sure he was holding up alright.

The entire drive down to Chino had been filled with her trying to figure out what she'd say to him. She'd sent him a few letters since he'd gone in, trying to stay close to him while he was away. Most days she struggled to find things to write to him. It seemed trivial to fill him in on the daily life at the garage or tell little stories about what torture Tig was unloading on the newest prospect these days. But maybe stuff like that was a good escape from the day to day life at Chino. So she'd kept writing. And he'd write back, responses to her stories and little bits on how he was doing. The letters were never long but then again Opie had never been a real chatterbox. Still, it was at least something, gave her some reassurance on how he was holding up.

The whole process of actually getting in to see Opie seemed to take forever. So many different rules and procedures being tossed at her, half of it going in one ear and out the other. She was getting antsy the longer it dragged out, the drive having left her restless and the rules just making her want to roll her eyes in defiance just for old time's sake. And then finally she was in, walking across the large room to where he was waiting. She almost did a double take at first. Jax hadn't been kidding when he'd said that Ope had been bulking up inside. As he stood up, she could tell he'd been spending the last few months embracing the Chino weight room. "Hey Superman," she said with a warm smile, finding herself being enveloped in the bear hug she was all too familiar with. It was something she hadn't realized she missed till that moment. "You know if you get any bigger they won't be able to find clothes for you."

"Hey Ape. Almost forgot how annoying you were. _Almost_." A laugh bubbled up at the teasing sound in his voice and she stayed there, face pressed into his chest. It had been far too long since she'd seen him and finally getting to be in the same room with him had her not wanting it to end. She felt his arms tighten around her for a moment, a kiss pressing to the top of her head before they both pulled away and took their seats at the table. April found herself still taking in the more rugged look on the man opposite her. Last time she'd seen Opie, there'd only been a hint of a beard on his face and his shirts hadn't seemed to strain across his chest quite as tight. Now, she found herself thinking he was easily a lumberjack in the making. It brought the faintest of smiles to her lips.

"So, does Donna know her husband's training to be the next Brawny spokesman?"

Opie couldn't help but smile at her words. He didn't know what he'd been expecting when April had insisted on driving down to Chino. It had been months since he'd seen his best friend's little sister and he wasn't sure sitting in the prison's visiting area was where he wanted to have this little reunion. But there she was, looking every bit the SAMCRO princess they'd always teased her for being in her Reaper Crew t-shirt. And somehow, despite the awkwardness of seeing her in a place like this and trying to figure out what to say - God knows Gemma would find a way to rip him a new one if he mentioned too much club business to her - he was happy to have her there. At the very least, she was better conversation than his old man. "You just come here to rip on me for an hour or did you actually want to see me?"

April rolled her eyes, the smile still there though. "Of course I wanted to see you," she replied as if it was the silliest question she'd ever heard. "Getting to rip on you is just one of the perks of driving down here." And for a moment, the playful banter between the two of them that had always been there ever since she first started chasing around him and Jax and tried to join in on there adventures, things seemed normal again. For a minute, she let herself forget that he was in an orange jumpsuit, that they were in a room with half a dozen armed guards, that this was his home for another four years. For a minute, it was like she was just sitting down with an old friend, simple as that.

"What's on your mind, Ape?" His voice came out quieter, low as the teasing tapered off. He knew the look in her eyes as her mind went through a million different things that she might mention. It was things like that that she forgot he noticed more easily than others. Sometimes she couldn't help but think he knew her better than her own brother did. Then again, Opie was every bit a big brother to her as Jax was.

"Just how ugly you look in orange," she mumbled with a shake of her head, glancing down at the table they were sitting at. That earned her a little kick under the table, away from the watchful eye of the guards. A light glare was shot his way, her raking a hand through her hair as she tried to figure out what she wanted to say. "Kyle's gone," she stated bluntly, finger tracing over old scratches in the wood aimlessly. "Excommunicated. Pretty sure Piney wanted him dead but Clay didn't think that was such a hot idea. But Jax beat the shit out of him before they dumped ran him out of Charming. And...I may have used one of Gemma's .45's on that precious Dyna of his."

Opie had heard about what happened with Kyle, knew what his best friend had done to get some kind of revenge for Opie being inside. He hadn't, however, heard about the girl opposite him pulling a renegade badass move. And he couldn't help but smile at the image of April channeling her mother with a gun in her hand. It was definitely one of the more interesting stories he'd heard in a while. "Any of the guys try to lecture you on how to respect a bike properly?"

"Nope," she replied with a little smirk, the word popping as she spoke. "Jax was just amused, Tig was laughing his ass off, and Chibs offered to teach me how to aim a little better. Pretty sure Kyle would've tried to throttle me if I wasn't surrounded by pissed off Sons and holding a gun. Kind of wish he would've. Wouldn't mind seeing him get his ass handed to him again."

A small smile was offered to her before they both fell silent, neither sure where to take the conversation next. All joking and lighthearted comments aside, this killed her a bit. Suddenly it all made sense, why Donna always seemed so hesitant to make these trips to Chino. He'd changed since he'd gone inside and not just physically. Sure, he was still treating her the same as always with the banter they'd mastered over the years and the questions about what was new in her life like this was an every day chat but she could see the difference. He wasn't the same boy who's eyes would light up when he and Jax started messing with her or would have everyone smiling as soon as that big dopey grin of his appeared. The longer she sat there the more she could see it, the more she could see how much he'd changed. And she wasn't sure how she felt about that. She knew what some of the guys were like after they came home from a stretch inside. Some of them had no trouble adjusting; she remembered how the day after Tig had gotten out after a year and a half for assault he'd been back in the clubhouse shooting pool with her and picking on the prospects like not a day had passed. Others came out harder, their edges rougher and their views more cynical. That was the last thing that she wanted for Opie.

Somehow they found their way back to the conversation, jumping from the topic to topic whenever the subject ran dry. Everything from life at the garage to who Jax was bedding most frequently to who was checking in on Piney most days. A few lulls found their way in again but she didn't leave, not till the guards announced visiting hours were over for the day. Reluctantly, she stood, finding herself in the tight bear hug once more as she tried to make the moment last a little longer. "Love ya, Ape," she heard him mumble to her quietly as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

"Love you more, Ope," she replied simply, pulling away as she heard the guard reiterate the announcement about it being time to go. "Take care of yourself, okay? Don't need to make that ugly mug of yours any worse than it is," she teased as her smile faltered a bit. "I'll be back, okay? Make sure you remember what I look like and all that." He just offered a small laugh, getting one last hug from the girl before she was gone. Part of him figured she was just being nice, trying to make up for only getting to see Piney and Jax these days. But he should've known better when she showed up two weeks later, armed with plenty of stories to keep him entertained and a care package filled with pictures of his kids and the Sons, many candid and embarrassing for his amusement. And not once did he get anything other than that bright smile of hers, the one bright thing he had going right now.

* * *

Reviews and comments are always loved and appreciated.


End file.
